Justin Broadrick appears on two tracks on Phoebe Bridgers‘ Lost Weekend, and has clarified he was approached for his Jesu project.
Justin Broadrick plays electric guitar on Phoebe Bridgers‘ new album Lost Weekend, released on Friday through Dead Oceans. He has since corrected the way the collaboration is being reported.
Coverage of the album framed the appearance around Godflesh. Broadrick posted on social media that this is not how it came about, and that he is on two tracks rather than one:
“Justin K Broadrick, as jesu, plays guitar on 2 songs on the new album from Phoebe Bridgers – Lost Weekend
Justin performs on :
Track 05 ‘Bobby’.
And, the ‘hidden’ last song on the album :
Track D17 on the vinyl and Track 00 on CD –
‘Best Dressed’.A lot of initial reports on the album appear to highlight Justin’s career as Godflesh, whereas Phoebe Bridgers approached Justin due to her love of his jesu project, and it is in this capacity that Justin appears on 2 songs on this album.”
Jesu is the shoegaze and post-metal project Broadrick started in 2003, after Godflesh first ended.
“Bobby” sits fifth on the record and carries a second guest guitarist in Mike Kinsella of American Football, with Jack Antonoff on banjo. Bo Burnham, Bridgers‘ partner, co-wrote it along with six other songs on the album. Lost Weekend runs to sixteen tracks and was produced by Ethan Gruska, Antonoff and Tony Berg. It is Bridgers‘ third album and her first solo release since Punisher in 2020. She begins a phone-free North American and European tour in Indianapolis on September 14 and 15.
The appearance comes weeks before Godflesh release Decay, their tenth album and second to last, out September 25 through Relapse Records with “Living/Ending” already streaming.
Broadrick announced in March that the band would stop performing after open abdominal surgery.
His full statement:
“I’ve dreaded sharing this news, partly due to the threat of insensitive and/or negative comments, combined simply with the general anxiety of it all, I am also exhausted, but I’ve left comments on.”
“So, 3 weeks ago I had significant open abdominal surgery for a inguinal hernia that was close to an emergency. I am still in shock from the process, and as someone with diagnosed Autism and C-PTSD, open surgery is absolutely debilitating, not that it is easier for anyone of course.”
“I had a huge hernia, and for it to be repaired, I had to endure a 6 inch incision in my groin. This unfortunately was not keyhole surgery. I have a very weak abdominal wall, which at being 57 yrs old this year, is not going to improve.”
“If I continue to perform and shout/scream as I do with Godflesh, then I am at high risk for more hernias, and blowing out my abdominal wall entirely. Godflesh live ended the day of my surgery, and upon the surgeon making this statement. I am now just about walking freely, but with little pace, albeit extremely carefully.”
“The full healing process is approximately 6 months. Fortunately, my other projects do not require screaming/shouting nor a physically demanding performance; jesu and JK FLESH shows remain.”
“I have been mixing, what will be the penultimate Godflesh album – DECAY, for
release on Relapse in hopefully July/Aug, mixes are being completed imminently. The album is basically done. I’ve had the final Godflesh studio album written, for almost a year and half now, that will be recorded and completed late 2026.”
“After that there will continue to be Godflesh dub albums, live albums, and so on,
but no new studio releases nor performances.”
“In the near future, a new solo project will emerge, further exploring the parameters
of heavy/ugly music, featuring my guitars and electronics, and of course vocals, but
NOT shouted vocals!”
“Regarding Godflesh in Athens, Gr, please contact the promotion for details, etc.
There will be an official announcement via my agency/management regarding this
ASAP.”
“Thank you for your understanding. Take care out there. Justin“
One further Godflesh album has been written and he intends to record it before the end of the year. Jesu and his electronic project JK Flesh continue afterwards.
Broadrick formed Godflesh in Birmingham in 1988 with bassist G.C. Green, shortly after leaving Napalm Death. The self-titled debut EP that year and 1989’s Streetcleaner built their reputation on sheer weight and on a drum machine, which almost nothing in metal was using at the time.
The band’s admirers include members of Korn and Faith No More, and Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, who has called them “unbelievably crushing”. Metallica also came to the photographer Andres Serrano through Godflesh, Serrano directed the video for their 1994 single “Crush My Soul“, and his work later provided the cover images for Load and Reload.
